Restrepo

Not to point out the obvious (but I will anyways) war is a kind of horror worthy of our nightmares. Sure, The Exorcist is scary, and people are afraid of ghosts,
but I’ve yet to see any proof that either demons or ghosts actually exist, and therefore is not worthy of our fear as human beings. If you disagree with this, well, that’s too bad because you don’t have any proof that ghosts or demons exist either.
But war is real, and Restrepo will make you afraid of it. Very afraid.

Settled in a highly contested area of Iraq, a group of soldiers are documented in the fight against terrorism in this emotionally draining movie, which took home the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year. We get to see, up close and very personal, the lives of several men affected by the brutality of war. The movie isn’t particularly graphic (it is actually very light on any actual blood and gore), but is nevertheless a movie that has the potential to make you re-evaluate your existence and how you go about your daily lives. All it takes is a slight grimace, or a particular look in one of the soldier’s eyes – men not unlike myself – to stir you emotionally. And that is what Restrepo does best. There were several moments in the film where I heard the audience let out a depressing sigh just to relieve some of the tension, myself included.

Instead of focusing on the tragedy and grotesque horrors of war, Restrepo is aimed more at putting you in the shoes of the soldiers, to let you feel what they feel, as best as it can. You become part of the group, if only in spirit, and that is what makes Restrepo work so well.

It becomes easy to identify with the soldiers, whether or not you’ve ever seen this kind of thing up close. You don’t have to actually experienced war to know the kind of torment these guys suffer. One man reveals he actively avoids sleeping because the nightmares are too intense. He may laugh about it, but it is the slight pause of reflection afterward that sticks with you. There are several moments like these in the film, and they are the best parts.

So, if you’re looking for a graphic war film with crazy battle scenes and lots of destruction, look elsewhere, because Restrepo isn’t about that. Not at all. It is more about the personal lives of the men who saw action – and they do see action – and the effects it has on them. While it isn’t a flawless film, Restrepo does what it intends to do well enough to warrant a viewing, because it does what it intends to so well.

8/10

Reviewed by: Numbersix